Automatic coin-actuated machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. LO FORTE.

AUTOMATIC COIN AGTUATED MACHINE.

Patented June 2%1897.

NVENTOR fivmlu io K0 3 1247% BY WWW m a ATTORNEY [No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

R. LO FORTE.

AUTOMATIC COIN ACTUATED MACHINE.

Patented June 22,1897.

INVENTOR Tami (3J0 o J0 ia/Mam H/ J ATTORNEY IHHWIIIIHII WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

REMIGIO LO FORTE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOMATIC PHOTOGRAPH MACHINE COMPANY, OF VEST VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC COlN-ACTUATED MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 584,945, dated June 22, 1897.

Application fil d January 11, 1896. Serial No. 575,053. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REMioIo Lo FORTE, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Coin-Actuated Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to that class of apparatus commonly known as slot-machines, which are set in motion by the weight of a coin deposited on one end of a lever. Machines of this class-such, for instance, as automatic-photographing machines-are usually inelosed in an opaque case and their various parts thus concealed from View.

The object of my invention is to furnish means whereby in addition to the usual functions of such machines their operation may be disclosed to observers desiring to witness the same. This I accomplish by the twofold operation of automatically uncovering an aperture in the case adapted to the purpose and artificially illuminating the interior of the case during the progress of the operation performed by the machine, after which all parts are automatically returned to their normal positions. This dual operation is the result of the actuation of one or more coin-levers by coins deposited in slots specially provided for the purpose and separate and apart from the slot and lever by which the main portion of the machine is started, the object being to increase the revenue ordinarily derived from the stated operation of slot-machines. Further, the numerous and varied movements necessary in an automatic-photographing machine, to which myimprovements are particularly applicable, are an object of special interest to observers, and it therefore becomes desirable to furnish means whereby a view of the interior of such machines may be readily obtained and their value enhanced.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a slot-machine and its case with a part of the latter' broken away to show my improved mechanism; Fig. 2, an arrangement of electric circuit, contacts, and lamps for illuminating the interior of the case; Fig. 3, a sectional elevation of my improved apparatus,together with such portions of the main machine as are most intimately connected therewith; and Fig. 4-, a section on line 00 to, Fig. 3.

Like letters refer to like parts in each figure.

A represents the case of the slot-machine.

B is a shutter or disk normally closing the aperture a, through which a view maybe obtained of the inside of the case and the appa- 6o ratus therein contained.

C is the entrance to the slot or chute through which a coin reaches the end of the coinlever c.

D is the motor-cylinder for operating the various parts of the machine.

Z) is the disbarm; b the guide for same when it is moved to uncover the opening a in the case A. A piston (not shown) in cylinder D, preferably moved by a fluid under pressure derived from any suitable source, is connected by its rod to the rack d. The teeth of the latter mesh with the gears of the wheel (1 secured to shaft d', which in turn operates the various parts of the machine rep- 7 5 resented by wheels at n n in dotted lines. Coin-lever 0 passes through and is secured to the arm 0, pivoted on a shaft at c to the base 0 The spring e is secured to the end of coin- 8o lever c. Shaft 0 also carries cam c, rigidly secured thereto, which normally serves as a support for the trip or detent f which in turn supports the arm f, working on the axle Zr. The disk-arm b and its controller are also secured to axle b From the corners of said controller project four guiding-pins b, between which lies the lower end of the diskarm I), and at its upper end said controller carries weighted lever b 6 is a bent lever pivoted at a the long end of which normally rests 011 the foundation to which the apparatus is secured. Its function is to restore the parts secured to axle Z)" to their normal position after the machine has 5 completed one full operation, which it does by the motion imparted through cam (1 rotated by shaft d.

it i represent an electric circuit containin g one or more lamps for illuminating the interior of the case A whenever my improved mechanism is actuated. Said circuit is subject to contact-points f and 7t.

The disk c has its outer edge cut away at (Z and is in continuous contact with the upper semicircular end of the elastic strip It, screwed to the base its, to which base is also secured the elastic strip 7L2. The enlarged heads of each strip are provided with contact-points 7t.

The operation is as follows: \Vhen a coin is deposited in slot C and falls on the end of lever c, the latter is tilted, rocking arm 0 to the left against the tension of spring 0 thus rotating shaft 0 and depressing the end of cam c. This removes the support of weighted lever f and arm f. lVeighted lever b is accordin gly free to rock axle I)" through the diskeontroller 'b, trip f" thereby falling to a po sition where its contact-piece f impinges on its lower piece or anvil, and its projecting toe is held immediately over the curved end of le ver 6, the pins on controller Z) inclining the disk-arm Z) to the rightin this operation, thus forcing the disk B off from opening a.

.lly reference to Fig. 4c the construction of trip f is made plain, from which it will be readily understood that when the short end of trip f has fallen below cam c spring 0 will immediately restore the coin-lever c and cam c to their normal position, the coin having fallen from the end of lever 0 upon the initial tilting of same. Any special apparatus for removing the coin from its lever does not of course constitute a part of my invention and need not be herein shown. The return of the disk 1 with its connections, to its normal position is accomplished as follows: lVhen one revolution of shaft (1 is nearly completed, the cam (Z forces the short end of lever e downward, thus elevating its long end and carrying with it arm f, (which has previously dropped thereon,) controller Z), and disk-arm b,thus closing aperture a. The upward movement of arm f carries with it trip 1. lVhen the short end f 3 of the latter strikes the under side of the outer end of cam c, it will be rotated on its pivot to the position shown in dotted lines in 4C, and after scraping past said cam 0 will fall to its normal position, (shown in full lines, Fig. 4,) in which position, by reason of its short end resting on cam e and its long end having freedom of motion in an upward direction only, it will serve as a lock or detent for the disk 13. As it is usually desirable to illuminate the interior of the case A only when the apparatus is in actual operation, and in some cases (such as automatic photographing, wherein the sensitized plates are exposed in the first step of the process and might be inj ured by the artificial illumination) during a portion only of such operation, the electric circuit in which the lamp or lamps are in- D eluded is subject to completion at two points.

One of these contacts f is completed whenever arm f drops to its lower position, which,

as explained, takes place immediately upon the movement of the coin-lever. The other, 7t, is effected during the passage of the larger portion of disk (1, which forces the contactpoint of strip h against that of W and holds it there until the revolution of shaft (1 is completed, when it is broken by the resilience of the strip 7b in the space afforded by the cutaway portion (F of the periphery of the disk at. It will thus be seen that the electric illumination of the machine is subject to the combined action of my improved mechanism and that of the main apparatus, this being a feature of my invention.

Any common source of electricity or numher or kind of lamps may be utilized in the practice of my invention; and I am not of course limited to one observation port or aperture in each case. Should more than one be used, such portions of my improved apparatus could be duplicated as are necessary to the purpose. This would, however, necessitate a corresponding duplication of contacts f according to the additional number of coinactuated shutter-operating mechanisms. In Fig. 2 I have illustrated a preferred arrangement of the electric circuit whereby one main eircuitt' 1', including the lamps 1' ii with its machine-controlled contact 7L, may be completed at either of an indefinite number of coin-actuated contact-pointsf 13y reference to Fig. 2 it will be readily seen that a current entering by wire and finding either contactpointf completed will pass therefrom to connecting-wire 2' through contact 7t and lamps t to return-wire. It is obvious that contacts f may be indefinitely multiplied without materially altering the arrangement of the circuit.

A motor of any ordinary description adapted to the class of machines herein referred to and operated by any suitable means may of course be utilized without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not limit myself in this respect or as to the shape or size of the case, observation-port, or shutter or as to the particular function of the main apparatus.

My improvements herein described may of course be applied to almost any of the nu- 1n erous forms of slotnnaehines in common use which comprise apparatus of an attractive character.

In the coin-actuated machines with which I am acquainted no attempt has been made to enhance the revenue-creating capacity of the apparatus by automatically opening observationports in and illuminating the interior of the ease through the medium of coins deposited on levers other than what may be properly termed the main coin-lever-viz., that by which the principal mechanism set in motion.

It will readily be seen that by means of my improvement herein described the income derived from many of the common coin-controlled machines may be largely incrcased at slight, if any, additional expense, especially Where Well-made and attractive apparatus is employed. It is further evident that where artificial illumination is unnecessary or undesirable no electric circuit, means for making electric contacts, &c.,are necessary,as the pecuniary benefits resulting from my improved apparatus for opening the interior of the casing to View and automatically closing the same upon the completion of one full operation may be obtained in many instances Without such artificial illumination.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a coin-controlled machine, the combination of a coin-actuated motor, a shaft rotated thereby, a casing, an observation-aperture therein, a shutter for said aperture, a coin-lever releasing the shutter, means governed by said motor for replacing the shutter, and an electric contact controlled by the coinlever, substantially as described.

2. In a coin-actuated apparatus, the combination of a casing, an observation-opening therein, ashutter for the opening, a coin-lever actuating said shutter, and a detent for the shutter, substantially as described.

3. In a coin-actuated apparatus, the combination of a easin g, a motor therein, a shaft operated by said motor a disk on said shaft, electric contact-points governed by said disk,

a coin-lever, a shutter operated thereby, arms secured to said slmtter,electric contact-points controlled by said arms, an electric circuit including said contact-points, and a lamp in said circuit, substantially as described.

4. In a coin-actuated machine, the combination of a casing provided with an observationaperture, a motor for the machine, a shaft operated by said motor, a replacing-lever actuated by said shaft, a coin-lever, a shutter for the aperture controlled by said coin-lever and replacing-lever, and an electric contact controlled by the coin-lever, substantially as described.

5. In a coin-actuated machine, the combination of a casing provided with an observation-aperture, a motor for the machine, a

shaft operated by said motor, a lever and an electric contact governed by said shaft, a coinlever, a shutter and electric contact controlled thereby, one or more electric lamps, and an electric circuit including said contact-points and lamps, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

REMIGIO LO FORTE. Witnesses:

W. LAIRD GOLDSBOROUGH, WM. H. CLARKE. 

